S1E16 - Win or Go Home
Gary and CB recap the series win at Georgia State and preview the Sun Belt Tournament. Plus Maverick's big week and a major record ahead for Kenny Levari.
Mentioned in this episode:
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he Pride of ODU leverages the power of Old Dominion University alumni and fans to equip student-athletes with the tools and resources necessary for them to excel both during and beyond their time in Norfolk. More importantly, we seek to help student-athletes maximize their NIL opportunities the right way, without ever compromising the values of Old Dominion University and the legacy of all those who have donned the Blue and Silver in the past. To learn more, visit https://theprideofodu.com/
Transcript
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Gary: Hello, Monarch fans and welcome to the Hudson homers podcast.
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:I am Gary joined as always by CB CB.
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:We get two out of three this weekend.
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:How are you
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:feeling?
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:CB: I'm good.
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:I think, uh, you know, obviously
you'd like to take all three.
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:Uh, I think we could have, but you
know, you got the wins you need
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:to get to get in the tournament.
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:Again, obviously you would have
rather been in those top six
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:and not have to play this single
elimination, uh, Tuesday night.
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:Uh, but that's how it goes and they
can go in and just like all year,
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:I fully believe that they can beat
anybody you put in front of them.
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:So we'll, we'll see
how Tuesday night goes.
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:Gary: It seemed like we saved our
best offense of the season for last,
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:putting up 20 runs in that final
game against Georgia State, hitting
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:a lot of balls out of the ballpark.
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:I want to get you all caught up to
date here on Dollars for Dingers.
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:We are now up to 56.
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:Home runs on the season and we
have 80 steals for bucks for bags.
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:So 136 bucks, you should be socking
away here, uh, for the ODAF campaign
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:for dollars for dingers coming up
in a little bit, but CB 56 home runs
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:kind of snuck up on us a little bit,
but it's not as low of a number as we
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:think, right.
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:CB: Yeah, so what's funny is, last
year in:
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:think it was 128 in 2021 it was 105.
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:So those are the three best home
run seasons ODU has ever had.
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:I mean, I think we set the record
for the first team to hit over 103
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:years in a row with the new bats.
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:Um, and so you come to the
season, doesn't feel like
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:we're hitting as many home runs.
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:Obviously used to hitting,
twice as many homers.
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:Uh, but 56 home runs prior to
:
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:So as we sit here with 56
home runs in:
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:have tied the school record.
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:And I'm, I have to believe we're
going to hit another one or two.
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:It would have broken it.
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:So this is.
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:Weirdly to say, as, as, as few home
runs that it feels like we've hit
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:this season, the fourth most homers
ever hit, uh, ODU baseball season.
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:Gary: That just blows my mind because I
think we've just become so accustomed to
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:the a hundred home run seasons that we're
like, Oh, our power is down this year.
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:But historically we're not.
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:You also have to think too, we lost a
game against William and Mary and we
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:lost a midweek game against Richmond.
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:I promise you, we hit one or two home
runs at least in those games to, to knock
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:that total up to probably closer to 60,
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:CB: And, in addition to that 80 still
on bases is as many as we've had.
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:I think it's more than we've had in the
last decade that I, I went back about
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:12 14 years and that's that's more
stolen bases than we've had in a long
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:time Uh, so you've got power and speed.
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:It's not the same power you've been
used to So even you know this lineup
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:has struggled I don't think anybody's
gonna look at this lineup and say it's
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:been what we hoped it would be You
know, we got a 251 batting average.
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:We've struggled to score in a lot
of games I think there's a lot of
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:games where if our pitching staff
wasn't so good We wouldn't have won.
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:There's a lot of games where we should
have won because our pitching did
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:such a good job You But at the end
of the day, the numbers still kind
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:of say like these guys have some
stuff and they can do some things.
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:I think, again, obviously if
we hit a little bit better, we
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:might have stolen more bases and
we would have scored more runs.
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:Um, so it's, it's an odd year
statistically, bro, to you.
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:Gary: it has been an odd year.
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:They sometimes look like completely
different teams from a game to game
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:basis and certainly from series to
series, but pushing all your chips in.
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:Now, uh, you're the eighth
seed in the tournament.
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:You're playing nine seated South Alabama.
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:And this is the single elimination
portion of the tournament.
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:It is win or go home time.
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:But before we dive too much into that game
that we're going to see Tuesday evening,
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:I want to talk about how we got there,
because it was a wild and somewhat gut
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:wrenching weekend for part of it, just to
make sure that we got into the tournament.
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:no weekday game this week with
Richmond because of the weather
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:that was going on up here.
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:Uh, we go down to Atlanta a little
bit later and we take on Georgia
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:State in that first game on Thursday.
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:Scrap it together and come out
with our first Friday road series
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:victory of the season six to four.
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:CB: Yeah, kind of crazy.
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:You have to wait all the way until the
very last weekend to say that, but.
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:You know getting the wins
better than not getting the win.
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:Um had some big days, you know
maverick stalling stayed hot
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:We'll we'll talk about that.
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:Uh a little bit later about how hot
uh, the maverick hit a homer, uh,
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:three run bomb Um, we got you know, tj.
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:Aiken had a nice ground
out scored some guys.
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:Really solid starting from Jacob
Gomez, uh, Kellen Davis got the win,
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:he actually came in, um, and shut down
a little bit, Jay Cassidy gave okay
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:relief work, and then Vincent Becerra
was excellent at the end of the game,
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:he set down all nine that he faced,
and, um, struck out five of them.
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:To pick up his first save of the year.
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:So Vincent finished off, you know,
after starting throwing five innings
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:on Sunday, then doing that on Thursday,
pretty excellent week for him.
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:Gary: Yeah.
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:And this one started out, I mean,
it was a good back and forth game
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:throughout, but started off TJ
Aiken hits a double to the left.
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:Uh, and then we go strikeout,
strikeout, and then Kenny LaVarie
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:comes through with a clutch two
out single to bring Aiken home.
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:We're up one to nothing.
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:So we get on the board early.
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:That's a lot of times been our
problems on Fridays is we can't
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:get that first run in until it's.
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:Too late in the game is
kind of already decided.
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:Uh, but Georgia state, we knew going
into that game that they could hit,
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:that they could hit some home runs.
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:They play in a pretty batter friendly
park and, uh, you know, first about
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:they had at the game, they, they had
a solo shot and go out and tie it.
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:Uh, and then it's just kind of
back and forth from there and.
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:I think what really kind of ended up
being the difference there was Maverick
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:Stallings there in the sixth inning
when we were down three to two, cranking
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:a three run bomb over the wall and
left, put us ahead five to three, we
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:end up getting another run later on a
double play that got a run in and went
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:in six to four, but I know we want
to talk about him later, but Maverick
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:Stallings, in my opinion, kind of saved
the day for us there on the offensive
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:side of things.
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:CB: He saved the day a lot this weekend.
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:Uh, Maverick is, well, I'll tell you
what, we'll talk about it right now.
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:Maverick, he was just named the,
Sunbelt Conference, Player of the Week,
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:Hitter of the Week, however you say it.
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:He, I don't even know his stats for this
weekend, but I'll tell you right now,
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:uh, I have right here his last 13 games.
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:So basically the last three weekends.
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:Um, he is 17 for 50,
which is a 340 average.
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:He's got two doubles, seven homers,
and 20 RBIs in the last 13 games.
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:That's hot.
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:That's really, really good.
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:Yeah, he took his average.
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:He's up to 270.
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:I think he was down around 240
Maybe even two in the 230s So so
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:maverick's been doing and been
playing really good defense, too.
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:That's the thing I know early in the
year He was getting subbed out some at
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:the end of games carter sun going to
come in and play defense That hasn't
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:happened maverick's been you know,
he's really worked on that defense.
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:He was already solid He's really just
gotten good now at this point of the year.
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:Gary: Yeah, and on the season, he is now
the team leader in home runs with 11.
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:He's one ahead of Luke Waters.
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:He's driven in 32 runs.
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:But you have to remember that Maverick
has not been an everyday starter
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:throughout this entire season.
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:Like he started 40 games compared to say
Luke or Kyle, who started in 53 games.
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:He's got about 60 less at
bats than those guys do.
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:So for him to come on here late
with those kind of power numbers has
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:been just such a huge boost for us.
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:Like it seems like he comes up in
those critical moments, too, of when we
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:really need a home run like against App
State last weekend This weekend, uh,
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:against Georgia state that we just saw
where he had a home run in every game
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:of the series, uh, just coming through
in the clutch and just hoping to keep
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:on fueling those flames as we go into
the conference tournament here, because
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:that's a bat that we are, are desperately
needing to add to the rest of this
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:lineup
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:CB: Streaks are one of those
fascinating things because, you know,
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:you can't expect them to last forever.
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:But you really hope
they continue right now.
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:Anybody who's going hot right now,
you're like, Okay, let's hopefully
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:keep it going one more week.
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:Just keep things going.
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:Um, but yeah, Maverick has been a
huge part of things going in the
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:right direction here recently.
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:Gary: and you talked about them a
little bit, Vincent Bishara, obviously
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:electric on senior day on Sunday
against app state, uh, comes into
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:this game, gets a three inning save.
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:No runs, no hits, no walks, nobody
hit, five strikeouts, just an elite
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:performance from Vincent Becerra.
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:I could see both of his parents very
clearly on the ESPN Plus broadcast
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:all weekend sitting behind home plate.
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:Just a great performance by
him to lock that game down and
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:make sure that we won that one.
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:And we had a little slight, tiny bit
of cushion for the rest of the weekend.
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:And it turns out that we needed it
because, uh, Saturday did not really
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:go our way, or I'm sorry, Friday
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:CB: Yeah, right.
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:Yeah, right.
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:Everything kind of got shifted this
weekend, a Friday, which, uh, got
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:moved up, uh, from the 6 PM to noon.
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:Um, and I, I keep seeing
their, their attendance of 300.
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:I don't know how they had 300 people.
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:There must have been just
people standing off in fields.
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:You couldn't see anybody
watch the games this weekend.
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:Um, Georgia state, I guess they apparently
are getting a new baseball complex.
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:They desperately need it.
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:They look like they're playing
at like a local YMCA park.
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:Um, there was like one little, Oh, You
Group of stands behind there and then
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:just a lot of lawn seating around.
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:Um, and it was a very small ballpark
You see why they hit so many home runs
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:and also the elevation and people kind
of forget atlanta's got a thousand foot
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:elevation So the ball flies a little
bit higher there, too Uh, but yet
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:could not could not make it happening.
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:We kind of saw the the lack of hitting
Uh rear it's ugly head again on friday.
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:We really only we got three runs eight
hits Blake Morgan did, did pretty well.
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:One run over three innings.
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:John Halibutz, unfortunately,
did not have a great appearance.
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:He's been lights out for a while.
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:But three, three innings,
gave up four runs.
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:So that was not his best.
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:Uh, and then Bailey Mitella
kind of showed again.
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:He's, he's maybe still feeling
the effects of his injury.
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:But Lincoln Ransom came and picked him up,
did really good to finish out the game.
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:Gary: Not a great hitting day, for ODU.
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:I mean, just going through the
box score here is, you know, Jake
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:Tyser did have a pair of hits.
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:He went two for four, uh, but you know,
he had two of our eight hits and the rest
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:were kind of just scattered throughout.
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:We left 10 guys on base, which is
obviously been a theme this season too.
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:Uh, just not being able to cash in those
opportunities when we had guys on the
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:field and it wasn't the best outing from
her pitching, but we were able to kind of
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:close it down late and have a chance to be
in that game, but you can't expect your
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:pitching staff to be perfect all the time.
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:I mean, John hollow bets pitched his ass
off this weekend, had the best performance
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:of any ODU pitcher this season.
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:You can't always expect those guys to
come out and exactly replicate that,
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:especially against a team that is.
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:Pretty good at hitting they're
playing in a small ballpark.
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:And I think that's where a lot of his
issues arose from is it's just balls
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:being able to be elevated and out of
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:the ballpark.
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:CB: And you know, this is
a team in Georgia State.
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:They give up seven runs the game.
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:Um, you only score three after
only scoring, uh, I say only they
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:won the game but only scoring
five on the Thursday game.
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:Or six, uh, so that's nine and
two games You're four and a half a
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:four and a half era for them would
be a great time you got to put
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:runs on teams that give up runs.
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:Their pitching is Not that good Um,
you know, they may have thrown well for
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:most part the separate the last game
this weekend Uh, but you really you
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:gotta beat people aren't as good as
you and you gotta do better Um, and we,
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:I feel like we've seen better at bats
from things, uh, better at bats from,
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:from ODU as the season has gone on.
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:Uh, they're, they're doing a lot more
team batting, a lot more putting the
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:ball in play, they kind of really made
some adjustments, had to realize who
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:they are as hitters, uh, but still,
you know, it's, it's got to keep going.
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:You're, you're, they're not going to
have a chance of having any kind of
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:deep run in the Sunbelt tournament here.
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:If they don't keep doing that.
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:I also forgot, uh, in this game, Alex
Boucher, uh, took a ball off the face.
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:Um, it had to come out.
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:Um, I kind of missed it.
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:I think you had a better view of it
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:Gary: I mean, he just had a ball kind
of right up in and got him in the face.
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:And from what I could see, there was just
blood pouring out of somewhere on his
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:face, whether it was his nose, maybe a cut
above the eyebrow, something like that.
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:I don't know.
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:Uh, but it was pretty clear he
was going to be out of the game.
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:And then we did not see him in the
final game of the series either.
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:Uh, Georgia state was getting pretty wild.
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:They hit four batters.
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:Uh, in that game, they hit
a couple more the next day.
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:Uh, when we got a big, I was kind
of thinking, all right, it may
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:be time to return some favors,
especially since you're knocking
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:some guys out of the game for us.
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:I hope Alex Boucher
is, is doing all right.
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:And hopefully he's able to play
here in the conference tournament,
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:but he can't, he's got no luck.
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:I mean, he took one off the helmet
against app state and then he takes
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:it off the face the following weekend.
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:That's a rough go of it
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:for a few days,
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:CB: he's definitely good at getting on
base He doesn't necessarily have to get
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:hits to get on base, but that was that
was not the best way to do it Um, but
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:that's part of again, the georgia state
is not a very good pitching staff I mean,
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:you're not a very good pitching staff.
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:You hit a lot of guys um, we've seen
that, you know, we saw with app state
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:too is it just you know, that's a
that's a reality that When you're
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:not very good at pitching is because
you don't have very good control.
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:And so again, even more reason why
they should have been able to score
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:more than three runs, but they did
score more than three rounds on Sunday
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:Gary: just a few more, just a few more.
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:Uh, and I will tell you going into
that, that second game on Friday.
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:Uh, we actually, we had an opportunity.
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:It was a long shot to get the fifth
or the sixth seed, uh, because of some
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:things that happened above us in the
standing, some games had not yet been
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:played, there was actually a pathway that
was achievable to get into that fifth
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:or sixth seed, and then we dropped that
game five to three and that, that is
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:kind of gone and now you're going into
the final game of the regular season.
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:Needing to win, must win
scenario if there ever was one.
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:Cause if you lost that, you're
probably going to be out.
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:Uh, but man exploded 20 runs on 14 hits,
put pressure on them the whole game.
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:And really just, just got it right
from the jump with four runs in that
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:first inning.
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:CB: Yeah.
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:I mean, Sunday was our Saturday.
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:I keep saying so Saturday's game was
everything you want to see out of a team.
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:Um, I don't expect.
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:I don't care how good your offense is.
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:You shouldn't expect 20 runs at a game.
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:But the, the kind of stuff we saw on
Saturday is what you, what you should
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:expect out of this ODU team and these
hitters, um, and again, what makes
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:it kind of frustrating when they have
days like Friday's game where they
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:only score three runs and can't quite
get that hit, um, again, you know,
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:Maverick Stallings drove in five runs.
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:He had, uh, have another home run.
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:Um, I really, I hadn't
even thought about it.
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:So we're sitting here, but Evan Holman, he
had three hits and three RBI as the game.
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:He was six for 10 with three walks
and three RBI is over the weekend.
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:So excellent weekend for our
best defensive player who has
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:been solid at the plate all year.
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:Um, another four hit game for Luke waters.
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:Uh, he's been on a strike.
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:She looked his last seven games.
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:The last couple of weeks, uh, 14 out of
32 for four 38 average double, triple
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:Homer, seven RBI is in seven games.
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:Um, so some really good number.
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:And of course, uh, Nick Miller.
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:Uh, filling in for, um, Alex
DH had two homers and six RBIs.
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:So just, I mean, all around just
excellent on the batting side.
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:Stephen Meyer had a
perfect day at the plate.
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:Uh, he, he was one for one with
three walks and a hit by a pitch.
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:Uh, just a, just a odd day of the play.
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:I'm sorry, he got hit
by a pitch three times.
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:That's, I said that incorrectly.
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:Gary: Steven got hit by pitch three times
and he drew a walk and he was one for one.
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:I think that was what was starting to, uh,
I think fire some people up a little bit
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:is they, they just kept throwing in on him
and kept hitting and kept hitting them.
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:And it's like, what'd the guy do to you?
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:Like what did he do in Atlanta the
night before that's got you all so
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:mad that you're throwing at him.
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:Um, but you keep throwing in on a
guy's elbow and a guy's arm and things
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:like that, as we're getting ready
to go into conference tournament,
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:like just, Stuff you don't want
to see from a control perspective,
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:CB: i'm sure what it comes down
to is that the book on mine
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:is pitch him inside If you pitch him
inside he doesn't do as well And so
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:again, that's the book and i'm sure their
guys just don't have any control Like
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:I I really I really don't believe is
anybody doing anything of them just like
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:their guys suck a little bit of control
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:Gary: yeah, he is second
now in the conference.
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:He's been hit by pitch 23 times.
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:I think there's a guy for coastal
It's first with 26 Hit by pitches,
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:uh, but he's, he's up there.
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:For me, when I realized like, all right,
I think ODU is going to win this ball
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:game was right there in the first inning.
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:And it was with Kenny LaVarie.
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:He had a really rough day the day before.
332
:I think he struck out three times, just
did not have very good looking at bats.
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:He stepped into the plate, got in
a two strike count, and then just
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:absolutely lined one over the wall
and left for a two run home run.
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:Luke Waters follows right after him
and hits a, just a nuke to center.
336
:I mean, it cleared the
centerfield wall by a good margin.
337
:And the wall out there is
actually the old wall that used
338
:to be at Fulton County Stadium.
339
:So if it looked like
it's from the 80s, it is.
340
:It literally is.
341
:That's why it was falling apart.
342
:Uh, but I mean, it's 385 to dead
center and he cleared it by 60,
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:70 feet easy, just crushed it.
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:And at that point I was like, Okay,
we're, we're going to be all right,
345
:like where we are going to win this game
and they just kept piling and piling
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:on runs and you have production from
really everywhere within that lineup.
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:CB: And the pitching did, did very well.
348
:Dylan Brown started, which continued
a good week for him after closing out
349
:that game, uh, last Sunday at home.
350
:Uh, three and two thirds, only
gave up one run, five strikeouts.
351
:Uh, Jay Cassidy, again, not the best, but,
but pitched solidly out of the bullpen.
352
:Um, Bailey Metella, you know,
again, had a, had a rough day.
353
:He just, uh, could not, uh, Really control
anything you have to imagine his I think
354
:I think they were bringing Bailey in to
see If he's going to be healthy enough
355
:to be a contributor in the the tournament
And I think right now unfortunately just
356
:based on results the answer might have to
be no Uh, but then brandon pond came out
357
:and did a good job and relief and finished
off the game Which is nice for him after
358
:having a couple of not great appearances.
359
:Uh last weekend's app state so so
again, It's great to score 20 runs,
360
:but you have to make sure to keep them
off the board too And that's that's what
361
:the pitching staff is able to do You
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:Gary: And they did a good job, aside
from that, that sixth inning when
363
:Georgia state got five runs on the
board, uh, but that, that was really it.
364
:I mean, that was the only
ending where, where Georgia
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:state was any kind of a threat.
366
:And even at that point, like
they basically did enough to
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:not get run ruled in the six.
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:That's really all they, they did.
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:Uh, and then ODU tacked on four more in
the top of the seventh to win at 20 to
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:six and get out of there at seven innings.
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:Uh, is it interesting with our
pitching strategy all weekend?
372
:We kind of buck the trend sort of
out of necessity because we did
373
:use a lot of arms over the weekend.
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:And then also now you're playing on
Thursday instead of Friday, Saturday,
375
:Sunday, and you're also thinking
of, okay, if I have to play Tuesday,
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:I need to have some fresh arms.
377
:I was really happy to see Brandon
Pond come in and pitch really, really
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:well to bounce back from, you know,
what were two back to back pretty
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:tough games for him against App
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:State at home.
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:CB: Yeah, and you know, I've been saying
all year that he's a very good pitcher.
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:He's a guy, I think, when
you get to these big moments,
383
:you'll be able to rely on him.
384
:And so it was nice to see him bounce back.
385
:And yeah, it's going to be all hands
on deck because the game, uh, Tuesday
386
:night, which is tomorrow as we record
this, probably today as you're listening
387
:to it, uh, that's a win or go home.
388
:And you know, you're, I would,
I would imagine you're going
389
:to see Jacob Gomez start.
390
:Um, I'd imagine, you know, depending
on how things go, you might see
391
:Halibut, but you might see Beshara.
392
:You're going to, you're going
to see whoever you got to see
393
:to make sure you get that win.
394
:Um, but again, pitching hasn't
always been the problems that are,
395
:you know, we need to score runs.
396
:Uh, so I guess, uh, I guess it's time
to start talking about this, this
397
:game Tuesday against South Alabama.
398
:Gary: Yeah, it's, it's going to be a
tight one and it's going to look different
399
:than everything else we've seen this
season as it should, where you have
400
:to throw all of your pitching strategy
kind of out the window a little bit in
401
:terms of who you use when and for how
long, because you get somebody like
402
:Jacob Gomez, if he starts and he's clean
through five innings, you're going to
403
:see him come out there for the six and
give up a hit and he might get pulled
404
:for somebody else, but there's going
to be zero concern about what arms are
405
:going to be available for the next game.
406
:Your only focus is make sure
that there is a next game.
407
:Uh, but as you very accurately
pointed out, a lot of times that
408
:is not on the pitching that is on
the offensive side of the ball.
409
:And I think our series earlier
this year against South Alabama
410
:is a really good example of that.
411
:We had them at home.
412
:We took two out of three, we put
eight up on them on the Friday.
413
:We put another eight up on
them on the Saturday and won
414
:those games pretty easily.
415
:Uh, but then.
416
:We came out on Sunday with a chance
to go sweep and we just couldn't
417
:get it done other than a couple
of runs there in the first inning.
418
:These teams are so similar.
419
:It's, it's unbelievable
on the offensive side.
420
:Like they're both low home run teams.
421
:They're not great with
their, their batting average.
422
:It could be one of these, like,
like last year where it was
423
:like two to one against JMU.
424
:Like I can see this being a low scoring
win or go home game where everyone is.
425
:Super tight coming into it.
426
:CB: Yeah, I mean, you
hit the nail on the head.
427
:These teams are very similar.
428
:Um, again, as I've believed all season,
I think ODU is better than this team.
429
:I think ODU has a very good
shot to beat South Alabama.
430
:I, you know, South Alabama is
a much better team than when
431
:we face them here in Norfolk.
432
:Um, they they kind of turned their season
around a little bit at that point the
433
:year was looking like they were going
to be Easily one of the teams was out
434
:of the tournament and didn't really
have a hope Um, and they ended up tying
435
:themselves with odu for the conference
record and actually had more wins in the
436
:season than odu had Um, so they're not
the same team that we saw But again, I
437
:just don't think they're as talented as
odu but they're going to be doing the
438
:same thing They're going to be throwing
their best pitching They're gonna give
439
:it their best because they they're in
the exact same scenario that if you do
440
:not win on Tuesday The season is done
and for some guys their careers are
441
:done I hate single game elimination
in baseball because that's not the way
442
:baseball is baseball is a game played
over series over the long run Um, you
443
:know over over the course of time you see
who's better But that's just how it has
444
:to be So, you know you you put yourself
in a situation where you got to be in
445
:this game So you got to go and win it
446
:Gary: We definitely chose the
more difficult path to try to
447
:get to a conference championship,
try to get to an NCAA bid.
448
:Um, cause I mean, I think as we've talked
about over the last couple of weeks.
449
:Our large chances are zero.
450
:I think even if we make it to the
championship game, uh, we are not going
451
:to be in a position to get in at large,
but we need to go go win this thing.
452
:As of today, we're 71st in RPI.
453
:I've got three quad one wins, which is
pretty good, but, you know, being down
454
:there at 71 South Alabama is at 66.
455
:So, you You know, that win is not really
going to help you that much with your RPI.
456
:Uh, so it's, it's win or go home and
it is a very tough and long road, uh,
457
:to get even to the championship game,
nevermind actually go and win it.
458
:Um, but for South Alabama, kind of what
they've been doing since we last saw
459
:them, they finished up their season
at, in Lafayette against Louisiana.
460
:They dropped two out of the three.
461
:It was an interesting series in Louisiana,
kind of locked up the one seed, uh,
462
:but they lost the opener six to five.
463
:They won the second game,
10, nothing in run rule.
464
:And then they got run ruled in
the final game, 13 to three.
465
:So a little Helter Skelter
all over the place.
466
:Uh, they took two out of
three from Louisiana Monroe.
467
:Uh, they took one out of three against
Appalachian State down at Boone.
468
:Uh, but you know, I imagine that they
are probably kicking themselves because
469
:they started this season in conference
play getting swept against Georgia State.
470
:And, you know, we can talk about one
game here, one game there for them.
471
:You know, they, they go win that series
and they're have a very different
472
:outlook on the conference tournament.
473
:Uh, but man they're a mirror
image of us on the offensive side.
474
:Yeah.
475
:It's it's going to be interesting to
see, like, who blinks 1st from a pitching
476
:staff who floats the 1st hanging
breaking ball and cracks this thing open.
477
:Uh, cause I could definitely see it,
like I said earlier, like last year, a
478
:2 1 kind of elimination style game that
is, is really tight all throughout.
479
:CB: Yeah, and you know, when you, as
you say that, OU's pitching has been
480
:better than South Alabama, or about
a run in ERA better on the year.
481
:Even with the batting being
similar, you, you, you want to
482
:believe that your best pitching is
better than their best pitching.
483
:Um, now I'd have to imagine, I would
think, Looking at south alabama stats
484
:here cam hill who is uh, four and three
with a four three nine era 69 innings
485
:Um, he's probably going to be the guy
I would I would think I don't know what
486
:they got going on But I would think if
i'm them i'm looking at the stat sheet
487
:He's the best guy and if that's how
they feel they're going to throw him
488
:um, he also made a great point about
picking the hardest route because even
489
:if Uh, ODU is able to be victorious
on Tuesday, um, they would then find
490
:themselves in this position where they're
either going to be facing number one
491
:Louisiana or number two Southern Miss.
492
:Um, that all depends on, if Coastal
Carolina wins the other game,
493
:then they'd be facing Louisiana
as the lowest seed remaining.
494
:Uh, and then you'd find yourself
in a bracket, uh, on that side
495
:still with, uh, what, Louisiana,
JMU, and Georgia Southern, yeah.
496
:So no matter how you, and then if you
end up the other side, you're with
497
:Southern Miss, Troy, and App State,
these are all, again, we've seen them.
498
:They're good teams.
499
:Uh, there is no easy path I still
believe, you know, I, I still really
500
:believe ODU has a really, really
talented team and there's absolutely
501
:no reason they can't get hot and go out
and really upset some people this week.
502
:Gary: If we hit, we have the pitching
to survive a tournament like this.
503
:I don't know if other teams do, but
we do have the pitching to survive it.
504
:But it all comes down to, can we
string together these four or five,
505
:six games and hit enough to win?
506
:Cause that's what you have to do in the
post season tournaments, whether it's.
507
:A conference championship
regional, super regional.
508
:Definitely if you go to Omaha you gotta
be able to hit and that's really been
509
:been the thing that's plugged us all year.
510
:But we ended the season with
20 runs, which is our highest
511
:offensive output of the season.
512
:And we had guys step up recently that.
513
:We're maybe not contributing as much
earlier in the year with Maverick
514
:Stallings and Nick Mueller and all
of those that are coming through.
515
:So you just gotta, gotta time it up.
516
:So, I mean, there's, there's definitely
a chance, but, uh, it is a long uphill
517
:battle and you just have to take it
one game at a time and you've just
518
:got to go out and beat South Alabama.
519
:I know there are guys on that team
that were on the team last year, really
520
:don't want to be one and done in the
conference tournament and have to
521
:come all the way back from Montgomery,
Alabama after playing just one game.
522
:CB: Um, another thing that's going to
be a big deal, uh, for the the Tuesday
523
:game against South Alabama, that will,
unless something crazy happens, that
524
:will be Kenny LaVarie's 227th game
played for the Old Dominion Monarchs,
525
:which will be the new school record,
uh, for games played, uh, for baseball.
526
:Which is amazing on its own, but
then we actually, I took a second
527
:and step back and thought about, well
you think about it, baseball plays a
528
:much longer schedule than any sport.
529
:Um, I feel free if somebody can correct
me and somebody knows better, but I
530
:have to believe what that actually means
is Kenny has played more games in an
531
:old man uniform than any athlete ever.
532
:Gary: I think you'd be right like
the only competition I think you
533
:would really have would be for
basketball, but they definitely don't
534
:play this many games in a season.
535
:Um, yeah, you're, you're probably right.
536
:There's probably been no one that suited
up more for ODU than Kenny LaVarie.
537
:Uh, that is, that is
wild to think about it.
538
:If you think of the, the long history
of ODU athletics all types of different
539
:sports with some great teams that have
made deep postseason runs, uh, for
540
:Kenny LaVarie to be on top of that list.
541
:I don't think there's anyone else
that would come close to that.
542
:CB: And he'd be breaking, uh, Nick
Walker's record and anybody who remembers
543
:Nick, he was an excellent ball player.
544
:Um, and Nick Walker broke, uh, that was
Connor Meyer's record, uh, right before,
545
:about a year or two before Nick broke it.
546
:So, I mean, he's, he's definitely
stepping into a long line of,
547
:of really outstanding, uh,
players from Old Dominion.
548
:To break that record, what that
really means is you have to show
549
:up day one and they put you in
the lineup pretty much every day.
550
:Uh, and that's, that's special.
551
:It's not easy to come in as a freshman
and start playing immediately.
552
:I mean, we saw TJ Akins
had a very, very good year.
553
:He did not play for a
big chunk of the media.
554
:What he said right here, he's got 42 out
of the 53 games played, only 25 starts.
555
:And TJ has had a very
good season as a freshman.
556
:To put it in perspective again, that
meant Kenny had to show up day one in
557
:2021, a year that was the best in Old
Dominion baseball history and be playing
558
:every single day as a third baseman.
559
:That is not a small feat.
560
:And so we, we definitely need to
appreciate, uh, and, and thank
561
:Kenny for everything he's done for
ODU and, and really celebrate him.
562
:Um, I, I'm going to wait till about the
fifth inning of the game after it's,
563
:uh, official game, but then, you know,
it's, it's time to really give Kenny
564
:his appreciation for what he's done.
565
:Gary: absolutely.
566
:And we'll be rooting him on to
continue racking up those numbers
567
:and keep playing some more games and
keep it going for as long as you can.
568
:Uh, but want to take a quick look
at the Sunbelt Annual awards that
569
:came out for baseball a little
bit before we started recording.
570
:Congratulations to Luke waters.
571
:Uh, he's the lone Monarch
on the all conference team.
572
:He made second team all
conference as an outfielder.
573
:The league is just so loaded with talent.
574
:I mean, Kyle, the bars is player of the
year, shortstop for Louisiana, Louisiana.
575
:I also got the pitcher of
the year with a LP Langevin.
576
:Uh, I mean, both of those guys, it's
hard to argue against either one
577
:of them with the seasons they had.
578
:And then, uh, Banks, Tali, who
is just an absolute monster.
579
:I think we, we kind of contained him
a little bit when he came to Norfolk.
580
:Uh, but the other day he hit three home
runs, including the walk off winner in a
581
:game that app state really need to win.
582
:He's the newcomer of the year.
583
:And then chase Morgan for
Louisiana is freshmen of the year.
584
:There's just so much talent.
585
:He'd go up and down these
all conference lists.
586
:And it's ridiculous.
587
:Like there's, there are a lot of
draft picks on these first and
588
:second teams.
589
:CB: Yeah.
590
:It's a great list.
591
:I mean, you look at like Caden
Bodine with coastal Carolina, the
592
:catcher, who's such a, Phenomenal
player and he's on the second team.
593
:I mean it just tells you how good guys
are we've got um, Fenwick trimble,
594
:uh for james madison who's from right
here in uh, virginia beach went to
595
:cox high school So great for fenwick.
596
:He definitely deserved that in his
senior year Um, and it's just a great
597
:louisiana deserved all the credit even
had the the freshman of the year chase
598
:morgan also So they deserve all the
credit they got for the season they had.
599
:Um, and so, you know, it's great.
600
:Uh, hopefully they all, uh, go home
crying because they won the tournament.
601
:Uh, but, but congrats to them
on their awards right now.
602
:Gary: We talked about it all year.
603
:The standings are tight.
604
:The margins are razor thin.
605
:You can see that with Texas State
who, you know, really beat the
606
:hell out of us when we went out
to San Marcos a couple weeks ago.
607
:They did not make the tournament.
608
:They got knocked out by the
tiebreaker, uh, with Georgia State.
609
:But just looking at the, the betting odds
that are out there right now for who's
610
:going to win the Sun Belt Tournament,
uh, Louisiana is the favorite at plus
611
:250 at Southern Miss at plus 350.
612
:You got a whole bunch jumbled in
there between, plus 400 to plus
613
:800, uh, ODU is, is plus 1200, so
basically 12 to 1 odds to win it.
614
:App States, 10 to one, uh, South Alabama
is type of Georgia state at 20 to one.
615
:So kind of imply the odds there where
the books at least think that we are a
616
:favorite, uh, in this elimination game.
617
:But it's pretty crazy to look at the
10 teams in the Sunbelt and you don't
618
:have anybody that's like a hundred to
one to win it, or, you know, 200 to one
619
:to win it, like it's pretty tight in
terms of the odds from top to bottom.
620
:Because the books can't tell you.
621
:And I don't think anyone can
tell you because I think anyone.
622
:One through 10 could potentially
get hot and win this thing.
623
:And I think that's what makes it a
lot of fun and hopefully a nightmare
624
:for the tournament committee when
they're trying to figure out who
625
:to put where and who's hosting.
626
:I would assume two, at least two
teams are going to host a regional,
627
:uh, out of the Sunbelt probably have
four or five teams actually make
628
:it.
629
:CB: Yeah, I think it's very fair.
630
:I think it would not be shocking if any
of these teams went through and won.
631
:Um, I think it it wouldn't be surprising
at all to see like Louisiana or or
632
:Southern Miss or uh, Troy or Coastal even.
633
:I mean, well, yeah, right there.
634
:I, I, in my mind, I still think of
Coastal as like one of the elites of the,
635
:of the Sunbelt even though they ended
up falling all the way down to seven.
636
:That tells you right there how
good everyone in the league is.
637
:Um, so I, yeah, I agree with you.
638
:I, I, I'm, I don't know nothing
about that betting and all that's,
639
:that's other people's thing.
640
:I lose enough money on my own
without going out and giving it
641
:to other people intentionally.
642
:Um, but that's, that's all
a very fair point, but it.
643
:Every one of these teams
could go in and win.
644
:I mean, we saw, we've been saying
all year, the Sunbelt's a meat
645
:grinder and we saw it, you know,
ODU got churned up through it.
646
:ODU is a very good team.
647
:They were 15 and 15, just dead 500.
648
:Uh, so it would not be a surprise
to see any team come out of here.
649
:You're right.
650
:It's going to be fun.
651
:I always enjoy watching the tournament.
652
:Gary: And if you want a couple of non
ODU teams to keep your eye on their
653
:Southern Miss has been really hot lately.
654
:They're the two seed, uh, but
they've been tearing it up and
655
:don't sleep on coastal Carolina.
656
:They're like the nightmare team.
657
:You know, if I'm, if they win
their elimination game and they
658
:go play Southern Miss, that's
going to be a hell of a ball game.
659
:Uh, they went up and they took care
of business against Marshall to
660
:close out their season, to make sure
that they got into the tournament.
661
:They've started hitting the ball again.
662
:Their pitching has been terrible all year,
but their hitting had been really good.
663
:They just went through a slump
for, I guess, three or four weeks,
664
:but they just fell off a cliff.
665
:They're starting to get that back.
666
:And man, them as like a seven seed
in this tournament is just nightmare
667
:fuel for all the teams that have.
668
:You know, like Louisiana,
that's 23 and seven.
669
:They're going to run into
a coastal Carolina buzzsaw.
670
:Uh, but we also have the
ability to be that buzzsaw.
671
:Uh, if, if our offense is picking
up and our pitching is doing what
672
:it's done all year, we're going
to be a tough out for anybody.
673
:So.
674
:It's going to be an exciting tournament.
675
:It's going to be fun to watch even
the games that ODU is not a part of
676
:just to get a feel, I did see, uh,
somebody brought up a great point and
677
:I believe it was a Southern Miss fan
of why in the world haven't they moved
678
:this tournament to Biloxi, Mississippi?
679
:So that all the degens can say
across the street at the Boer Vage
680
:and then just walk to the games.
681
:I think it's a great idea.
682
:I don't know if anyone
else out there agrees
683
:though.
684
:CB: Yeah, I know when they had the um,
the cusa tournament was in biloxi a few
685
:times That was always a really nice venue.
686
:Uh, it was good for people.
687
:I don't know what montgomery's got
going on I mean, I know it's they
688
:get to play in the double a park
biloxi is also a double a park.
689
:Um, so They both have fine facilities.
690
:I don't I don't know about
the surrounding enjoyment.
691
:Um, but You're gonna see plenty of good
baseball this week I know that like
692
:I said, uh, either either way whoever
comes out of these elimination games
693
:You And plays the one and two seeds.
694
:The one and two seeds can't
look at that as like pushovers.
695
:Uh, so it's, it's gonna
be a fun tournament.
696
:Um, and hopefully ODU is
playing real deep in the week.
697
:We shall see.
698
:Gary: Get those bats hot, win a game, and
then just start things rolling from there.
699
:Because that is kind of one
advantage of getting to play
700
:a game before everyone else.
701
:And you see it a lot of times
at the playing games in the
702
:NCAA basketball tournament.
703
:You get in, you play, you get
hot and you get some momentum
704
:and you're really tough to stop.
705
:Uh, so I'm, I'm hoping it's that
path for ODU and we at least get
706
:a deep run here and take a big old
swing at that conference championship
707
:and potentially go into a regional.
708
:Uh, but I, I can tell you there is not
a team in this league that as a power
709
:five, I would want to see coming to my
regional as like a two or a three seed.
710
:Um, I would just not, not want
to deal with the Hornets nest.
711
:That is the Sunbelt right now.
712
:Uh, but it's going to be fun to watch.
713
:The game is Tuesday at
seven 30 Eastern reminder.
714
:If you're looking on the Sunbelt site,
they post all their times in central time.
715
:Uh, but it will be on ESPN plus, uh, looks
like for the first, at least day or two,
716
:the weather is really nice down there.
717
:Uh, we'll be watching, you may
get a little bonus episode of
718
:Hudson homers later in the week to
talk about what we've done, where
719
:we've gone, what's ahead of us.
720
:I hope CB you and I are debating what
time we're going to be doing that here.
721
:CB: Yeah, I mean, that would be ideal as
us trying to figure out, uh, what, when
722
:we can get that extra bonus episode.
723
:So hopefully we win the first
couple and that becomes a thing.
724
:Um, and either way we will have
an episode kind of wrapping
725
:up the season, uh, next week.
726
:Yeah.
727
:And, uh, well, I guess not
either way because, you know,
728
:we win this whole tournament.
729
:We won't be wrapping
up the season, will we?
730
:Gary: No, we'll just be wrapping up
the first part of it and getting really
731
:excited about how we're going to travel
to a regional, but, uh, you'll, you'll
732
:definitely get a few more episodes
out of us before this thing is said
733
:and done, no matter what happens.
734
:Uh, there's a couple of guys
we still want to talk to.
735
:And then of course, We've got to
start talking about recruiting
736
:and then it's fall ball.
737
:And before you know it, we are figuring
out this amazing non conference
738
:road schedule that we are going to
have laid out for us to start:
739
:CB: Never too early to start
looking forward to next year.
740
:I actually got to see one of our,
uh,:
741
:the state championship for Greenbrier
Christian, um, who was of course coached
742
:by, uh, a great OU alumni, Pat Nichols.
743
:Um, so I, it's cool.
744
:I've, Pat's one of my buddies.
745
:I've known him for almost 20 years.
746
:Um, got to see him when his second
state championship as a head coach,
747
:he said it was, he won two, two as an
assistant coach and one as a player.
748
:So he's now got five.
749
:State championships, the Green
River Christian throughout his time.
750
:So it's great.
751
:Um, OD alumni, former professional
player for the nationals.
752
:Uh, so it's always good to see those guys
753
:Gary: Just keep on winning and
winning and winning well, we're
754
:excited for the game on Tuesday night.
755
:We will be dialed in, hanging
on every single pitch.
756
:I'm Gary, beat South Alabama
757
:and go Monarchs.
758
:CB: I'm CB go Monarchs.
